Flying ....

We've spent our last day here finishing up paintings, shopping, wandering around town, having some last tastes of San Miguel des Allende. Many more people are arriving for the holiday week ahead when schools are on vacation. Partying has intensified into the late hours with a lot of music and laughter. I prefer the quieter days I think!

Our group gathered last evening for wine and a display of paintings. Beautiful work by everyone was spread around the dining tables. Neil did an impressive group of 23!!!!

Dinner at roof top restaurants and a little final gathering on our own roof ended the day.

This has been a wonderful trip in this lovely town with beautiful vistas everywhere and friendly people. The weather is nice as it rains very little. Humidity is only 10% making our skin and noses very dry. It makes for great painting weather as long as one uses sunscreen! Our own group is very compatible and enjoys the compansionship. Friendly painting advice welcomed!

I think several of us will return to explore and enjoy more of SMA! Thank you Neil for arranging this adventure!

Wednesday at the Institute de Allende.

Birds fly-in presentation...paint to music.

Entrance to art institute.

Helma and Michele in the courtyard.

View from artist institute courtyard.

Wall painting...creepy!

Pretty door along the way.

A trip into history....

Tuesday was a day away from painting for several of us as we took a tour with Albert Coffee, an archeologist to visit pre Aztec ruins. He filled our heads with information about the site and people who built and lived there long ago. The 2 mile walk up to the pyramid was a little challenging at 7000 ft but worth it.

The pyramid climb.

Flowers in a dry setting.

The crew receives instructions.

Long walk to the pyramid.

Only a few hundred yards more!

 Canada de la Virgen (pyramid)

Getting ready to leave

Monday around San Miguel...

Henry at the park

Typical view down a street!

Lots of street vendors

Going for a walk in Benito Juarez Park

Busy weekend!

Five of us taxied to the botanical gardens above San Miguel to hike and paint. What a ride up the cobblestone and winding streets! We were very glad we took the advice not to walk!  This garden was developed to highlight the local plant life and if course was full of the many varieties of cactus and desert trees. It was rocky and very dry.

Helma and I found a tiny bit of shade and set up our easels. She chose the wide vista of the canyon and town beyond, while I concentrated on a path through the cacti. After about three hours we were hot and dry and ready to go, plus, George had hiked enough. Kathy and Julianne chose to stay a bit longer!!!

After resting and cleaning up the group walked to the complex of studios and galleries housed in an old textile mill. Our hostess Mary Calderoni has a studio there and wanted us all to come. It was a very interesting evening watching and listening to artists and musicians. We ate a light supper after at one of the cafes there...mine a tiny pork slider with wine of course.  It was fun to see the crowds of people out at night.

It was passion Sunday next so at 3 am the bells began to ring and fireworks were set off to celebrate as the procession arrived at the church. The noise was almost continuous until about 9 am. No more sleep for us.  Some did go to see the procession and said it was so interesting and colorful with patterns made with colored sawdust in the streets. Many musicians and clergy walked along the path.

Because we were all somewhat tired most of us hung around the casa and painted the streets or from photos. A bit of shopping and some sampling of local foods filled out the day. Tonight we ate at a nice restaurant (The only patrons) but enjoyed more of fusion style Mexican food. I am still waiting for some tamales!!!

The weekend:

Friday around San Miguel de Allende...

Scenic view of restaurant thru doorway.

Flowers at the local market.

Starting the day on the roof.

Kay finds a nice spot in the park

Italian night or dinner

A night in the square with many bands.

Meeting accidentally in the park...good painting spot.

A beautiful Thursday....

Starting the day at breakfast, we artists climbed to the roof to paint. The jacaranda trees and bouganvillas are in bloom and decorate the landscape already dotted with domed churches and quaint buildings. It's a challenge to capture the vista and simplify the scene.

When the heat became too intense unless in the shade, Kathy, Helma and I walked to La Auora, a old textile mill turned into a space for studios and galleries. It's beautiful!! We stopped for coffee and ran into the guys. We'll return for the art walk in Saturday when Mary Calderoni will have her studio open. We are staying at Casa Calderoni which she and her husband own.

Several of us had a recommendation to have tapas at the La Luna atop Hotel Rosewood so that is where we went this evening. Stunning vistas and sunsets, delicious, varied tapas and great company!!!! What a great day.

To the art galleries

Tres amigos at the art cantina

Tres amigas at the art cantina

Scene and local color at the gallery

At The easel this morning!

All of us were on the roof painting until the heat was too much. Beautiful vistas!!!

Sitting area at the casa

More pics in San Miguel de Allende

First look at the B&B inside

B&B view from downstairs

Downtown sunset

Let's have breakfast.

Beautiful hotel foyer.

Cathedral

Artists in the park.

Selecting painting location.

Break for lunch.

First day...

After meeting for breakfast at 8:30 in the dining room, we wandered off in exploration of this quaint city. Cobblestone streets here in the city center make walking good but carefully done. They are very polite and wait for pedestrians even though there are no traffic lights to be seen.
Most of us headed to the main cathedral and the park to paint or look in the shops. We took many photos to use in the future for inspiration. Henry, George and Bruno struck a bargain with the hat man and each purchased a nice straw hat to make them look very dashing as well as keeping the sun off their heads.
Helma and I picked up our gear and painted beside the cathedral under the shade tree. The colors and shapes are new and challenging. As I sat on the bench I was joined by a tiny girl who was fascinated by my painting and inched closer until she was actually leaning against me! Kathy, Neil, Kay,and Juliana painted in the park across from the cathederal.
Needing a break when the guys came, we stopped for coffee and a pastry....delicious! ...then back to the BnB for a rest and relaxation until cocktails and dinner. We had a bit of show and tell and critique. Neil's work is lovely as always!
Dinner at Los Milagros was delicious and fun with singers doing familiar US songs. We may be going back there for the final four game on saturday.
I'm looking forward to a better night's sleep and being rested tomorrow. Many of us are feeling the affects of yesterday's long travel day.
More exploration and painting tomorrow.

In San Miguel de Allende

Most of us are here now and settling into our rooms. Each is decorated differently and named for an artist. Ours is the Vincent Van Gogh room on the third floor. A terrace just out the door is lovely and we will enjoy coffee here in the morning.
The flowering trees are spectacular!! We have dinner reservations tonight for all of us here at Casa Calderoni and will explore tomorrow.